Alexander Robertson of Struan (c.1670 – 28 April 1749), 13th Chief of

Clan Robertson Clan Donnachaidh ( Scottish Gaelic: Clann Donnchaidh ), also known as Clan Robertson or Clan Duncan is a Scottish clan. History Origins There are two main theories as to the origins of the Clan Donnachaidh: #That the founder of the clan, Donn( ...

, was a Scottish

Jacobite Jacobite means follower of Jacob or James. Jacobite may refer to: Religion * Jacobites, followers of Saint Jacob Baradaeus (died 578). Churches in the Jacobite tradition and sometimes called Jacobite include: ** Syriac Orthodox Church, sometimes ...

soldier and poet, notable for being the only person to participate in three

Jacobite risings , war = , image = Prince James Francis Edward Stuart by Louis Gabriel Blanchet.jpg , image_size = 150px , caption = James Francis Edward Stuart, Jacobite claimant between 1701 and 1766 , active ...

Biography

Roberstson was the son of another Alexander Robertson, 11th Chief of Clan Robertson, who died in 1687 and was succeeded by his oldest son, Robert. Roberstson succeeded his elder brother as

clan chief The Scottish Gaelic word means children. In early times, and possibly even today, Scottish clan members believed themselves to descend from a common ancestor, the founder of the clan, after whom the clan is named. The clan chief (''ceannard c ...

in 1688. He was a student at the

University of St Andrews (Aien aristeuein) , motto_lang = grc , mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best , established = , type = Public research university Ancient university , endowment ...

, but left his studies to participate in the

Jacobite rising of 1689 The Jacobite rising of 1689 was a conflict fought primarily in the Scottish Highlands, whose objective was to put James II of England, James II & VII back on the throne, following his deposition by the November 1688 Glorious Revolution. Named a ...

in the army of

Viscount Dundee Viscount of Dundee was a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created on 12 November 1688 for John Graham with remainder to him and his heirs male of his body, which failing, to his other heirs male. He was made Lord Graham of Claverhouse a ...

after receiving a commission from James II. Roberston was taken prisoner by

Government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government ...

forces a few weeks after the Battle of Dunkeld, but was released later that year and followed James II into exile in France at

Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye The Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye () is a former royal palace in the commune of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, in the ''département'' of Yvelines, about 19 km west of Paris, France. Today, it houses the ''musée d'Archéologie nationale'' (Na ...

. Roberston remained at the Jacobite court, spending some time in the

French Royal Army The French Royal Army (french: Armée Royale Française) was the principal land force of the Kingdom of France. It served the Bourbon Dynasty from the reign of Louis XIV in the mid-17th century to that of Charles X in the 19th, with an interlude ...

, before returning to Scotland in 1703. There he became deeply involved in Jacobite plotting, training men for a new rising and in constant communication with the Jacobite court. He strongly opposed the

Treaty of Union The Treaty of Union is the name usually now given to the treaty which led to the creation of the new state of Great Britain, stating that the Kingdom of England (which already included Wales) and the Kingdom of Scotland were to be "United i ...

between England and Scotland in 1707. In 1715, he led 500 of his clansmen in the Jacobite rising of that year and participated in the Battle of Sheriffmuir, but was captured for a second time in early 1716. He was rescued by Jacobite supporters and escaped to the Netherlands before returning to France. In 1725 he was created a

baronet A baronet ( or ; abbreviated Bart or Bt) or the female equivalent, a baronetess (, , or ; abbreviation Btss), is the holder of a baronetcy, a hereditary title awarded by the British Crown. The title of baronet is mentioned as early as the 14th ...

in the Jacobite peerage by

James Francis Edward Stuart James Francis Edward Stuart (10 June 16881 January 1766), nicknamed the Old Pretender by Whigs, was the son of King James II and VII of England, Scotland and Ireland, and his second wife, Mary of Modena. He was Prince of Wales fr ...

. Robertson was again in Scotland by 1731 and rallied his clan to join the

Jacobite rising of 1745 The Jacobite rising of 1745, also known as the Forty-five Rebellion or simply the '45 ( gd, Bliadhna Theàrlaich, , ), was an attempt by Charles Edward Stuart to regain the British throne for his father, James Francis Edward Stuart. It took ...

in support of

Prince Charles Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to ...

. Despite his age, he travelled to meet Prince Charles at Dalnacardoch and was present with Clan Robertson at the

Battle of Prestonpans The Battle of Prestonpans, also known as the Battle of Gladsmuir, was fought on 21 September 1745, near Prestonpans, in East Lothian, the first significant engagement of the Jacobite rising of 1745. Jacobite forces, led by the Stuart exile ...

in September 1745, after which he seized the carriage and possessions of General Sir John Cope as a victory prize. Being too infirm, he did not join the Jacobite advance into England. Following the defeat of the Jacobite rising in 1746, his tower house at Dunalastair was burnt down by Government soldiers and his estates were forfeited. Much of the Robertson land was returned to the clan in 1784. Robertson died in 1749; he never married and was succeeded as clan chief by a relation. After his death, a collection of various poems that he had written throughout his life was collated into one book, which was published in 1752. His portrait is in the collection of the

National Galleries of Scotland National Galleries of Scotland ( gd, Gailearaidhean Nàiseanta na h-Alba) is the executive non-departmental public body that controls the three national galleries of Scotland and two partner galleries, forming one of the National Collections o ...

.National Galleries Scotland
Alexander Robertson of Struan
Retrieved 7 November 2022.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Roberston, Alexander, of Struan Year of birth uncertain 1749 deaths 17th-century Scottish people 18th-century Scottish people Baronets in the Jacobite peerage Jacobite military personnel of the Jacobite rising of 1745 People of the Jacobite rising of 1689 People of the Jacobite rising of 1715 Scottish clan chiefs Scottish Jacobites Scottish poets